


and this time

by Oparu



Series: a baby dragon and her terrible purple hat [8]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Family Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-04
Updated: 2017-12-04
Packaged: 2019-02-10 13:43:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12913128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oparu/pseuds/Oparu
Summary: Snow cheerleads Regina and Maleficent's relationship, especially when they see Mal with baby Robin. Total fluff.





	and this time

“And?”

“And what?” Regina met Snow’s eyes, trying to stop that particular stream of conversation early.

“She’s meeting you at your office.”

“Which is a logical place to meet me, as I return there at the end of the day.”

Snow shook her head. “You’re avoiding the question.”

“You’re prying.”

Snow beamed at her, all pride and amuse. “You’re going on a date.”

Regina stopped them on the sidewalk, looking down the street at the lights of City Hall rather than meeting Snow’s gaze. “Yes.”

“And it’s not a first date.”

Rolling her eyes, Regina put her hands on her hips. “We already share a daughter. It’s hardly a virginal new relationship.”

Snow didn’t even wince at the mention of Lily, she was so intent on prying the information out of Regina. “Were you dating in the Enchanted Forest, before?”

“The air didn’t shimmer into rainbows when we kissed or anything.” Her tone was sharper than she intended, and regret tugged at her stomach the moment she said it. She didn’t want to be mean, not really, simply not having this conversation would have been enough.

“Regina–”

That gentle rebuke meant she had been mean. “We’re not true love, and that’s all that seems to matter in the old world.” Here at least, there was a chance. Regina still couldn’t be sure of what. The people she loved died before she got much further.

Snow caught her arm before she could walk away. “Your relationship with Maleficent is no less valid because you’re not true love, or soulmates or fated to be together.”

Sighing, Regina tried to release some of the tension in her body. Snow’s expression was only gentle. She was trying to help. Soulmates still had a sting that went deep. Maybe she wasn’t ready. Perhaps she was rushing herself. “Good, because I’ve had terrible luck so far.”

“Love isn’t about luck.”

Love? Her eyebrows rose in surprise. “It’s just a date.”

“With a woman who shares your daughter, who has shared your house.” Snow wrapped her arm around Regina’s and started walking them towards City Hall once more. “You were very cute together at Ruby’s party, dancing together.”

Maleficent was beautiful dancing, and Regina’s face burned. They’d ended the party kissing in the corner. Intoxicated by the drink and each other, startled by the lights coming on to send them all home. Worse than teenagers.

Their feet echoed on the wooden floor of the corridor, Snow’s boots were soft and Regina’s heels sharp.

“That’s different.”

“That’s romantic,” Snow corrected. “You let her smudge your lipstick.”

Regina had never had a little sister, but this was exactly what she imagined talking to one would be like. “Maleficent’s–” she stopped without finishing that thought. The door to her office sat open and the light inside illuminated her what, her girlfriend? Her oldest friend?

Maleficent paced back and forth in the light, bouncing something- someone- it must have been Robin.

“Look.”

“My ever-so-responsible sister left my niece in the office?”

“Regina, no,” Snow insisted, touched her shoulder. “Look at her.”

Maleficent whispered to the baby, speaking softly to Robin while they walked back and forth. Robin was a sweet child, patient usually, calm with strangers, but she’d be hungry soon and who knew how long she’d been here? Did Mal even know where the diapers were? The spare formula in her desk?

“She never had a chance with Lily,” Snow began, her voice softening. “David and I took that, took her, but look at them.”

Robin burbled at her, digging her hands into Maleficent’s hair. She smiled so softly at her, so gentle.

“Did you two–?”

Regina shook her head, wishing she could shut those thoughts down as quickly as they’d come, but now they whispered.  Mal babysitting Robin for a little while was hardly her announcing that she wanted another child, let alone that she would want one with Regina. That they would–

“You could, you know,” Snow reminded her.

Regina’s heart thudded in her chest, hot and tight. “We’re not.”

“Of course, right. I shouldn’t–”

Robin turned her head, noticing them and squealing happily at Regina.

“There’s Regina, we knew she was coming.”

Robin reached out towards her and Regina had to pull herself together, taking the baby as Maleficent smiled at them both.

“Zelena said she was going to be very late for work and that you;d be right here and I was basically family.”

Snow (somehow) remained quiet, patting Robin’s hand as Regina and Maleficent stared at each other.

Not thinking, or plotting, or wondering. Just rethinking their dinner plans now that it seemed they’d have company.

That was it.

Snow’s smile was so certain that it could have been carved in stone.


End file.
